It supports full Unicode and adds a tag editor to the music file properties menu so you can easily edit tags by groups or file by file. Because it integrates with Windows shell, it is not a standalone application. You will need to open file properties and under the AudioShell Tag Editor tab, you can add other information like Title, Album name, Artist name, Genre, Track number and even insert a cover art image.

AudioShell is a useful tool for mp3 player owners, music aficionados and Windows-based podcasters because it lets you edit tags and makes all your music file collections organized before uploading them to your mp3 players like iPod.

Sometime around late December of 2011, Spreaker already launched its free app for Android devices. Podcasters with Android smartphones can now broadcast live updates and share them on their social networking sites as well (it isn’t just for iOS device users anymore).

To those of you who are still unfamiliar with Spreaker, it is an online application for creating and sharing audio content across the Internet.

The app makes it easy to share audio content across social networks because it can connect with your Facebook and Twitter accounts so you can broadcast LIVE status updates! Your friends and followers can listen live or later as a podcast.

Contrary to what most people think, not all podcasters do their recordings in the comfort of their own homes. Some on-the-go podcasters do this from various locations for many reasons, one of which is that their interviewees don’t have the option or liberty to leave their current locale.

That’s why in today’s hardware feature, I’m listing three of the best microphones for the roving podcaster. Here they are in no particular order:

The Snowball

Made by Blue Microphones, the Snowball is a true plug-and-play device, quick and easy to setup because it requires no power hub or driver. It is capable of recording 44.1kHz audio at 16-bit resolution and has a frequency response of 40Hz-18kHz. At the back is a 3-point switch that lets you set the recording patterns (cardioid, cardioid with 10dB pad, and omni). In layman’s terms, that means you can set the pick up range from ‘Wide’ for recording two or more people, to ‘Focused’ for recording just one person.

Bottom line is, it won’t replace your studio quality mic but this is a good deal in itself. It wouldn’t surprise me if professional musicians use this to record their ideas and rough demos while on the road.

The Snowball comes in white, silver and black. Also available is a universal shock mount/suspension kit, which helps eliminate external vibrations and noise. Personally, its looks alone is enough to make me want one.

Samson Meteor Mic

Setting its attention-grabbing and undeniably sleek vintage design aside, the Samson Meteor Mic comes with an equally cool integrated stand that provides several standing position options and a neat carry case. Moreover, on its body you’ll find an LED status light indicator, a stereo 1/8-inch zero latency headphone output, and a volume control.

It sports a cardioid pick up pattern capable of 16-bit, 44.1/48kHz recording resolution and frequency response of 20Hz-20kHz. And like the Snowball, the Meteor Mic also requires no driver install and USB power hub, making it ideal for use in VOIP, Skype, and of course, podcasting.

Blue Microphones Snowflake

Last but certainly not least is the Snowball’s cousin, the Snowflake. I guess one could say that Blue Microphones has just found its way into the hearts of a considerable number of podcasters.

Like the two aforementioned microphones, this condenser cardioid microphone is also a driverless device that has no need for any power hub that’s capable of recording 44.1kHz at 16-bit resolution.

Its whole compact design is just ideal for traveling podcasters as it comes with an integrated tray for its 3-foot USB cable making transportation convenient. Plus, its foldable mounting clip allows it to easily rest on your laptop.

You’ve got your own podcasting platform, your listeners, and your topics. You may have been podcasting regularly, but with a few tweaks like those mentioned below, you can still upgrade your podcast quality – and perhaps increase your audience. At the very least, you can increase your existing audience’s interest in your material. Good luck!

1. Microphone

Invest in a professional mic for better sound quality. There are a number of entry-level professional mics that provide smooth sound output yet won’t strain your budget. Besides, most of these models come from the same companies that produce pricier and high-end recording gear as alternatives to suit everyone’s needs and budget constraints.

2. Music

Music adds more color and depth to your work. An intro and outro may sound professional but before you take on clips of your favorite song, be wary of copyright laws that cover it. You don’t want to get sued for copyright infringement right?

You should learn how to work with editing software. Invest time in it so you can have total control over factors like sound levels, dead air, speaker volume – left and right channel, sound output balance, fading in and out into your intro and outro soundtrack, etc. Good editing can greatly improve your work’s final output and make it sound professional. The same applies to creating videos for your podcast.

4. Filtering

A microphone screen – or even a piece of nylon stocking stretched over a loop of wire – can help reduce and filter out unnecessary and annoying sounds like popping (loud P’s and B’s) and breathiness in your recordings. You may not notice your little exhalations when you speak, but your listeners can.

5. A Dedicated Website

Move your podcast from a free service platform to your own blog site. Using a more dedicated website leaves a more professional and authentic impression on your listeners and visitors. Also, this gives you more freedom to include upcoming shows, iTunes subscription links, contact information, events, promos, free downloads, show notes and RSS, all of which can be very attractive to your existing and potential audience.

This is an amazing plugin that uses voice recognition software to transcribe your recordings as you speak. Since it is still in its early stages, expect upcoming improvements soon. For now, it is available in beta and only works in Chrome browser.

It would be very interesting to see how WordPress-based podcasters maximize this awesome tool, transcribing the spoken word into the written word, especially for WordPress mobile versions.

If you’re a podcaster who considers himself as a hardcore audiophile and is looking for a unique brand of microphone then you might want to check out The Black Hole BH-2 by JZ Microphones. Designed as a condenser mic, the BH-2 comes in a nice-looking cherry wood finish case. Included is a uniquely designed shock mount that snaps into the 2 pins in the mic’s center, making it look like it’s floating from the stand.

It is available with an optional custom blast filter, and it sounds great with the Tube Tech plugin. The cardioid pattern allowed for a nice off-axis leniency and very good rejection. It works well with both male and female voices, with tenors where it almost doesn’t need any further equalizing.

With a street price tag that hovers somewhere around $1,099, this isn’t what you would call your daddy’s microphone. After all, I did say “hardcore audiophile” in the beginning didn’t I?

Here’s a short list of cool browser extensions that may enhance your podcasting experience. Let’s start with Google Chrome.

1. iTunes Audio Preview/Podcast Downloader – This allows you to download podcasts and audio previews from the iTunes website manually WITHOUT the need for QuickTime and iTunes!2. ChromeCast – This nifty browser extension lets you play your favorite podcasts within your browser. It definitely sounds like a cool plugin to have but judging from the most recent user feedback, it seems to have a bit of a minor issue with feedburner. Try it out and see if it’ll work with your favorite feeds.3. Podcast Alarm Clock – Wake up to the sound of your favorite podcast!4. SpokenText – Convert text on any web page to speech. Select the text, run the extension, press ‘Record’, and you’re done! It supports English, French, and Spanish.

And now for Mozilla FireFox:1. Huffduffer – Bookmark your favorite audio files and create your own podcast of found sounds.2. FoxVox – FoxVox will speak any text you highlight in a web page; it’like SpokenText for Chrome. You can create audiobooks with this awesome add-on and even turn your blogs and articles into podcasts!3. Youtube MP3 Podcaster – With this self-contained add-on you can download YouTube videos and convert them to mp3 files for easy listening on podcasting gadgets!

Of course there are other add-ons but we’ve picked out the most popular ones for you. You can also head on to your browser’s site and check out their corresponding extensions page for more.

I tried searching for podcast-related add-ons for the other browsers (IE, Opera, and Safari) but so far they only came up with one result. Perhaps we’ll find more soon, but for the meantime, enjoy these apps!